Timing device for feeding articles from multiple to single rows



Dec; 26, 1950 Filed Jan. 5, 1946 R. M. MCPHERsoN 2,535,859 'nume DEVICE EOE EEEDING ARTICLES FROM MULTIPLE To SINGLE Rows 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 26, i950 R. M. McPHERsoN 2,535,859

TIHING DEVICE FR FEEDING ARTICLES FROM MULTIPLE To SINGLE Rows Filed Jan. 5, 194e 5 Vshew-.smsrnf-,et a

4, IIIIFVIII ec.. 26, 1950 R. M. McPHERsoN 2,535,859

TIMING DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES FROM MULTIPLE To SINGLE Rows Filed Jan. 5. 1946 5 SheetsfSheet 3 Dec., 26, 1950 R. M. MGPHERSON 2,535,859

TIHING DEVICE FUR FEEDING ARTcLEs FROM MULTIPLE To SINGLE Rows Filed Jan. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 faber? MMf'/zercsolv.

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en. 26, 1950 R. M. MCPHERSON 2,535,859

TIMING DEVICE FOR FEEDING ARTICLES FROM MULTIPLE To SINGLE Rows Filed Jan. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 APatented Doc. 26, 1950 TIMING DEVICE, FOB FEEDING ARTICLES FROM MULTIPLE T SINGLE ROWS Robert M. mrherson, ssn Leandro, cam.. as-

signor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation o! New York Application January 5, 1946, Serial No. 639,481

'rms invention rentes to a dual timing device,

specific use as it is adaptable for use in delivering cans or other articles from any two stations or sources to the next station in order. particularly where the mechanism at the station to which the cans areto be delivered is more speedy in operation than that of the mechanisms from which the cans are received. However with this understanding as to the broader use of the lnvention, the following description will be confined to the delivery of the cans from two filling mechanisms to a can capper, which usually includes a double seamer.

It is well known in the canning art that said double seaming cappers lare much more rapid inv operation than the can filling machines, so that one lling machine cannot supply a. sufllcient number of filled cans to the capper to effectively maintain the latter in operation at full capacity.

It has been proposed to deliver the cans fromthe filling machines to a single capper, but it is impractical to deliver the lines of cans issuing from the two filling machines directly and simultaneously to a capper. as the cans must be fed to thecapper singly and in timed relation. Hence, in carrying out this idea, it is necessary to provide means for receiving the two lines of cans mentioned, and coordinate them so as to deliver single cans in spaced and timed relation to the capper.

Furthermore. it is essential that the cans be taken alternately from the two feed lines in order to avoid congestion in either one line or the other.

\ The object of the present invention is to provide means for receiving two separate and continuous lines of articles, and for coordinating and delivering the articles in a single line, with the articles in the desired spaced relation.

A further and specific object `of the invention is to provide a device of the character men-l tioned adapted to receive separate lines of cans issuing from a pair of filling machines, and co- 2 i them in timed and spaced relation to the feed belt of a capping machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device as mentioned which will operate smoothr lyand gently upon the filled cans as theyl are received, coordinated and selectively delivered tn the capping machine feed conveyor, so as to avoid spilling any appreciable portion of the contents of the filled cans.

` A further object of the invention is to provide in a dual timing machine as mentioned. means whereby the device can be adapted and synchronized to various typesof machines. either those from which the cans are received or the single machine to which they are tobe delivered, or both.

With these and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists generally in a rotary timing spiral. means for feeding articles to said spiral upon opposite sides thereof, and means for maintaining the articles in operative engagement with said spiral and for guiding them into a single line as they leave the end'of the spiral.

The inventionfurther consists in a device as above stated ln which the feeding means run Y substantially parallel with the axis of the rotary spiral and on opposite sides thereof. in combination with a single continuous delivery device leading from adjacent the delivery end of the Y spiral.

speeding up the movement of the cans ,as they are delivered from the machine thereby avoiding congestion in coordinating the cans from the two sources, and lto synchronize the delivery time to the operation time of a capping machine.

The invention further consists in the combination f a timing spiral, feed conveyors and a receiving belt as mentioned, in which the spiral is synchronized to the speed of the feed conveyor so as to initially retard the forward movement of the cans and then gradually permitacceleraordinate the cans of the two lines and deliver 66 tion ofr the same so as to deliver the cansto the assenso receivingeenveyo'f without congestion of the cans e further consists in various deeorestruction and combination or parts ait viii?. :fully described hereinafter and particularly out in the sienne.

The invention wili be more rea -y understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a 'part of the specihcation, and in which:

Figure is a plan view of a dual timing ma chine embodying my invention.

Figure is side elevation of the device upon cniarged scale.

1figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device, iiiustrating the driving and actuating means.

Figure 4 is a crcsscsectional view taken sub stantiaiiy on the line Ltg-5i of Figurer i and 3..

Figure 5 is a detail end elevation of the table illustrating the driving means for the spiral.

Figure d is a detail vertical longitudinal section at the deiivery end of device, taken on the line out of Figaro il, iilustrated upon a much enlarged scale.

.Figure l is a detail plan view of a ,portion of the guide rail assembiy.

Figure t is a detaii sectional view on the line 8mb of Figures i and i.

The specific embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the drawings, is designed to receive lines of cans from two filling machines and to y deiiver the same in a single line to the feed belt of a capping inachine. As shown, the device comprises a suitably supported feed table,4 a timing spiral rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis above the said table, feed conveyors supported on said table and lying parallel to the axis of the spiral and on opposite sides thereof, means for feeding separate lines of cans to said conveyors respectively, means for maintaining the cans on the belts in operative relation with said spiral, a belt at the discharge end of the table and means for synchronously operating the several parts.

Referring to the drawings, I0 indicates the feed table which is provided at the receiving end with a pair of adjustable supports II by which it may be leveled and trued with relation to the associated mechanisms above mentioned. The opposite or discharge end of the table is preferably secured to and supported by the frame or other suitable portion I2 of the station or machine to which the cans are to be delivered, such as a capping machine.

' effing the same to the capper.

Mounted horizontally above the table I0 is a longitudinally disposed spiral I3, the pitch of the convolutions of which increases from the receiving'to the delivery end. Also, the diameter of the 'root I5 of the spiral is substantially uniform for "port and convey the cans fed thereto.

Preferably, there are two such conveyors upon each side of the spiral, a long conveyor chain I3 land a shorter conveyor chain I9. The long chain I3 extends practically the length of the table and is` positioned close to the spiral to support one side lof the cans, *and the shorter chain i9 is spaced laterally therefrom to support the outer side of the cans. These chains are preferably of the type known bleek chains and are supported in the iongitudinalvgrooves 23 on wear plates 2l.

, The feed chains 33 and i9 are actuated by sprockets @sed drive shaft 23 extending transverse'iy of the machine and supported in bearings shaft t3 is driven from a power shaft parallel thereto and supported .in bearings it is of 'this 'invention to provide means for cans to a capper from two sources sueh as two ailing machines, so that the capper may be naaintained in operation at full capacity. it is therefore necessary that the dual timing machine constituting the present invention shall be synchronized with the operation of the capper. To this end the power shaft 25 is driven by a power drive chain which receives its pov/er directly from the capper, said chain also constituting the conveyor for receiving the cans from the feed conveyors and spiral and delivrlhe combination drive chain and conveyor which is indicated at 21, engages with a sprocket 23 on the power shaft to actuate the same. The drive shaft 23 and power shaft 25 at one end project outwardly beyond the side of the table Il) and upon the projecting ends of the shafts are sprockets 29 vand 33, respectively, connected by a sprocket chain 3|. This sprocket gearing is enclosed by a, guard or housing 32. The sprockets 29 and 3II-may be replaced by sprockets of different sizes so as to accurately time the feed chains I 3 and I9 to the delivery chain 21. This is essential for adapting the device to different types of cappers or other machines.

The cans are delivered from the filling or other machines, not illustrated, to the feed chains, I l and I9 by feed disks 33 mounted on vertical shafts 34 supported in bearing sleeves 35 of brackets 33, which brackets project laterally from the sides of the table adjacent the feed end thereof. These disks overhang the table top, which is preferably recessed as at 31 to accommodate them, so that the tops of said disks are in the same plane with the upper faces of the feed chains I3 and I3.

-The chains I3 are substantially tangential to the periphery of the disks, and the chains I3 extend to approximately the intersection of the same with the said peripheries.

Extending longitudinally of the table is a shaft 33 supported in bearings 33 and geared to the power shaft 25 by bevel gears 40. A transverse shaft 4I mounted in bearings 42 beneath the table, is connected to the shaft 33 by bevel gears 43, and is provided with a sprocket gear 44.

Parallel with the shaft 4I, and extending transversely of the table between the vertical shafts 34 of the feed disks, is a shaft 43 having a sprocket 41 adjustably secured thereto as by a set screw 43. A sprocket chain 49 connects the sprockets 44 and 41. Fixed to the ends of the shaft are bevel pinions 50 which mesh with bevel gears 5I fixed to the vertical shafts 34 of the feed disks. Housings 45 are provided for the gearing SII-5I.

One end of the shaft 33 extends beyond the end of thev table and is provided with a sprocket 52 which is connected by a sprocket chain I3 with a sprocket 54 on the end of the shaft 55 of the rotary spiral I 3. The shaft 55 is mounted in bearing blocks 56 and 51 on the top of the table I0. A housing or guard 53 is provided for the sprocket gearing just described.

Ia,ess,eeo

As hereinbefore-fdescribed, the feed chains I I and I! are engagedand driven by sprockets 22 on the shaft 2l adjacent the :delivery end of the machine. The shorter chains Ie--at their inner limit of movement" extend `about idler sprockets l! mounted on a .transverse idler shaft-1I;I and the lower laps extend beneath:idlers 8| on theA depending 'brackets'l` and thenunder idlers il I on shaft 48. l

Referring vparticularlyI'toligure 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the-width of the spir'al shaft bearing block .le is substantially the same f `as the root-diameter 4of the spiral atthe adjacent end thereof; .and extending rearwardly and as continuations of-the side faces of said block are diverging arms B9 -to which are attachedIouter arcuate can guide rails 'l0 whichare concentric with the disks I3 and adjacentthe peripheries thereof. These rails are further supported by ,1

brackets 1I secured1to `and extending upwardly from the top Aof the table IIL I The brackets AYIl are each formedof a single strip bent vto form a foot 'Il which is attached to the table. Ia vertically extending portion T3,a horizontal top portion 14 sufficiently elevatedto clear thetops of .the tall est cans-,and ya depending arm 15." The guideA 'I0 is attached to the portion 13, asIat 1B. and to. the lower end 'of the arm 1l is secured. as at l1, an

inner can 'gulden ,concentric with the .guide -lt and spaced-therefrom sufficiently to permit the cans to pass between them as they are received from the filling machines and delivered to the timing spiral and feed chains Iland I8. In Figure 1, 19 indicates the cans in two lines as received from `twofilling machines and at the different stages `as they pass through the dual timer to theconveyor belt 2l at the delivery end of the machine; I I I As the cans 'are deposited onthe feedv disks I3, which are continuously rotatedIin the .direction of the arrows (see Figure `1), they' are carried between. the guides and'lt` past the arms i9 and bearing block 56 where theinner portions ofthe bottoms `ofthe cans rest uponthe feed chains I8 Aandthe sides of. the I.cans engagethe spiral I 3. `The cans VaretthengmoveclV forwardly by the. feed chains, and `as they pass `beyiind the periphery of thedisks, theV outer portion ofthe bottoms .of the" cans rest upon the chains I9.

Adjustable lateral guides are provided for maintaining ItheIcans constantly in engagement I with the'root I5 of the spiral aslthey are moved along said spiral by the conveyors I8 and I9.

`These guides, one on each side of the spiral. are each formed 'of a plurality of adjustable sections.Y

and comprise upper and lower rails, the inner edges of which .are in vertical alignment and approximatelyequidistant above and below the end of :the axis o f the spiral I3' so asto gently but firmly hold the cans to prevent jarring or tipping the same. The-.guide rails on each side of the spiral are alike, so the description of one will suiiice for'both.` t

The first sectionof each of said lateral-guides is hingedly mounted and constitutes means forapplying yielding pressure to the cans to hold them in engagement with the root of the spiral throughout thepor-tion thereof'I which is of uniform diameter. This section is illustrated particularly in Figures 1, 7 and 8 'of the drawings.

\ lthe spiral is substantially uniform for the greater l I portion of itslength and then gradually lessens I s I I. the top rails being omitted in'lllgure 'No better illustrate the 'construction and operation. of the section. As shown in saidfigures. this hinged guide assembly comprises Va base adiustablyecured to the top of the table il', the'guide-hingedly mounted thereon, .means for yieldingly pressing said lguide inwardly, and adjustable means for limiting the inward Imovementlof thessame. The base of said hinged guide assembly comprises an elongated arml portion, having a ytransversely lenlarged forward end 'Il provided withtransverse slotsI 82 to receive bolts Il -byfi which it is adiustably secured in positionon the table top. The arm III is spaced a short distance" above the table top and projects 'al considerable distance over the adjacent rotary disk.` The arm 8U, adjacent the slotted forward end, is proguide rail section is hingedly mounted. I I

The. hingedly mounted guide rail section perse.` comprises a bottom rail portion Il having a'sleeve 86 at its forward end mounted on the pin -I4,'and an upper rail l1 -spacedfrom-the bottom rail by a pair of vertical spacersldl. The inner edges of both rails are'straight for the major portion vided with a vertical pivot pin I4 .upon which the.

of their length,` terminating at the Arearward endY I. i

in an outwardly curved portion contiguous to the end of the, arcuate guide 1l.- Formed on: the base armlll is an upstanding lug l0 on which is pivotally mounted a cam 9| having an outwardly extendingA stem 92 on which a weight Slis adjustably mounted. The cam 8| constantly .engages the outer edge'ofthe rail as shown in Figure 8. and yieldably forces the hinged `guide inwardly against the cans due to the weight 93.

The curved end 88 of the hinged guide section projects slightly into the path of the cans so that the cans entering between the guide rails i5 and 8l. and the arm 68 will force said ends outwardly momentarily, but thisoutward movement is limited by an adjustable set-screw threaded through the lug 90; 'I'he llmit of movement of the end 88 into the path of the cans is controlled ,by aset screw 95, threaded through a flange II v on the arm l0 to engage a forwardly extending lug 91 ogn-the sleeve llt.

Asl herelnbetore stated, ,the root diameter of to a minusvalue atthedelivery end. "rhe hinged guide section above described presentsstraightI guideedges parallel with that portion of the root of thespiral whichis 'of uniform `diameter and terminates at the pivotal mounting.substantially Opposite `where the moc diameter begins to lessen.`

Opposite the vtaperedV portion fof the root of the spiral I3 is a guide section comprising upper and lower guide rails 8B and: 9'! respectively, the inner edges of which are curved to .guide the cans in the terminal end of the'spiral and onto the conveyor 21 after they are `released from the end of the spiral. [Preferably these rails are formed as a unitary section, although this is not Vnecessary and said section is providedwith `an extension IMI which is reversely curved and merges into straight parallel guide yrails lllI- on the portion I2 ofthe associated machine. A

I n shouldv be Inoteduiat rheinneror operative edge ofthe guide rail liof the hinged section stops short of the pivotedend forming an offset orgrecess I0! at the hinge sleeve 86, and thatthe lower rail l! of the adjacent section of the guide is formed with a nose or extension III! which prothe guide rails to have any appreciable effect upon the rapidly moving cans. To this end also, the upper guide rail 81 ends a considerable distance from the hinge, and an adjustable supplementary rail section IM is secured to the adjacent end of the rail '98, and extends beneath the end of the rail 81, thereby bridging the gap between them.

As the cans are delivered from the end of the spiral Il to the conveyor chain 21, upwardly extending lingers on said conveyor engage behind the cans and move them to the capper. These lingers are arranged alternately on opposite edges of the chain conveyor 21 and are spaced longitudinally thereon to synchronize the feeding of the can in the single row formed by the machine, to the particular type of capper or other machine to which they are to be delivered.

it is believed that from the foregoing description, the invention forming the subject matter oi' this application and the construction 'and operation oi the specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the drawings, will be clear. invention is adaptable to a variety or uses, and as various minor changes may be made in the specific applications and construction of the device without departing from the invention, it is 'to be understood that the specification and claims are to be read and construed with this in view. A

l2 claim:

i. In a dual timing machine of .the character described, a timing spiral. means for rotating the spiral, conveyors adapted to. deliver articles trom two sources and in the general direction of the length of the spiral into operative engagement with said spiral along opposite sides thereof, and a center conveyor for removing the articles from the machine substantially along the line of the axis of the timing spiral, all of said conveyors being disposed to operate in the same direction and approximately the same plane and said spiral being adapted to deliver the articles to the center conveyor one at a time and from alternate sides of the spiral..

2. In a dual timing machine of the character described, a timing spiral, means for rotating the spiral, means for delivering lines or cans from two sources and in the general direction of the length of the spiral into operative engagement with said spiral along opposite sides thereof and to move said cans along said spiral with the forward face of each can constantly pressed into engagement With the convolution of the spiral in advance of the can, and a center conveyor at the end of the spiral for receiving the cans alternately from opposite sides of said spiral and feed them away substantially along the line of the axis oi the spiral.

3. In a dual timing machine, a substantially horizontal timing spiral, means for rotating the spiral, feed conveyors upon opposite sides of said spiral and parallel therewith, means for deliverlng cans to said conveyors from separate sources and in the general direction of the length of said spiral and to engage at both sides of said spiral, means for driving said conveyors at a greater speed than the forward movement of the convolutions of the spiral, center conveyor means at the delivery end of the spiral for receiving the cans and delivering the same to another station substantially along the line of the axis ofthe timing spiral, all of said conveyors being disposed to operate in the same direction and approximately the same piane, the convolutions ci the spiral be As the 8 such as to first retard the forward movement o! theA cans and then permit acceleration of the same whereby the can will be delivered to said receiving means alternately from opposite sides of said spiral and at substantially the speed of saidreceiving means.

4. In a dual timing machine, a timing spiral, means for rotating the same, conveyors upon opposite sides of and parallel with said spiral, means for driving said conveyors, means for delivering cans from separate sources to said conveyors respectively and against opposite sides of said spiral, a center conveyor at the end o! the spiral to receive the cans and deliver the same to another station substantially along the line of the axis of the timing spiral, and guides for maintaining the cans in operative engagement with the spiral as they are moved along the same and for guiding the cans onto the center conveyor in a single line as they are delivered alternately from opposite sides of the spiral', all of said conveyors being disposed to operate in the same direction and approximately the same plane.

5. In a dual timing machine, a timing spiral, means for rotating the same, conveyors upon opposite sides of said spiral and parallel therewith, means for delivering rows of cans to said conveyors from separate sources respectively, means i'or maintaining the cans in engagement with the root of the spiral as they move along the same. a conveyor at the end of the spiral for receiving the cans and delivering the same to the next station, the root diameter of the spiral being uniform :for a portion of the length of the spiral and then decreasing to a minus diameter at the delivery end whereby the cans as delivered from the end of the spiral to the last said conveyor will overlap the axis of the spiral.

6. In a dual timing machine, a, timing spiral, means for rotating the same, conveyors upon opposite sides of said spiral and parallel therewith, means for delivering rows of cans to said con veyors from separate sources respectively, means for maintaining thecans in engagement with the root of the spiral as they move along the same, a conveyor at the end of the spiral for receiving the cans and delivering the same to the next station, the convolutions of the spiral being such as to initially retard the forward movement of the cans on the conveyors and then to permit acceleration thereof, and the root diameter of the spiral being uniform for a portion of the length of the spiral and then decreasing to a minus diameter at the delivery end whereby the cans as delivered from the end of the spiral to the last said conveyor will overlap the axis of the spiral.

7. In a dual timing machine, a timing spiral. means for rotating the same, conveyors upon opposite sides of said spiral and parallel therewith, means for delivering rows of cans to said conveyors from separate sources respectively. a conveyor at the end of the spiral for receiving the cans and delivering the same toward the next station substantially along the line of the axis of the timing spiral, the root diameter of ythe spiral being uniform for a portion of the length of the spiral and then decreasing to a minus diameter at the delivery end whereby the cans as delivered from the end of the spiral to the last said conveyor will overlap the axis of the spiral, and guide means extending along each side o! the timing spiral and confining travel of the cans so aS to maintain contact of the cans with said 'It spiral.

I 8. In a dual timing machine of the character described, a timing spiral, means for rotating the spiral, conveyors adapted to deliver articles fromv two sources and in the general direction of the length of the spiral into operative engagement with said spiral along opposite sides thereof, a center conveyor for removing the articles from the machine substantially along the line of the axis of the timing spiral, all vof said conveyors being disposed to operate in the same direction and approximately the same plane and said spiral being adapted to deliver the articles to the center conveyor one at a time and from alternate sides of the spiral, and means rotatably supporting lthe spiral at its receiving end only thereby to leave its delivery end free to deposit cans centrally onto said center conveyor, said spiral having a reduced root diameter at its delivery end to facilitate delivery of cans onto said center conveyor.

9. In a dual timing machine, a substantially horizontal' timing spiral, means for rotating the spiral, feed conveyors upon opposite sidesof said spiral and parallel therewith, means for delivering cans to said conveyors from separate sources and in the general direction of the length of said 25 spiral and to engage at both sides o! said spiral, means for driving said conveyors at a greater speed than the forward movement of the convolutions of the spiral, center conveyor means at the delivery end o1' the spiral for receiving the cans and delivering the same to another station substantially along the line of the axis of the timing spiral, all of said conveyors being disposed to operate in the same direction and approximately the same plane, the convolutions of the spiral being such as to rst retard the forward movement of the cans and then permit acceleration oi' the same whereby the can will be delivered to said receiving means alternately from opposite sides of said spiral and at substantially the speed of said receiving means, and there being included means rotatably supporting the spiral at its receiving end only thereby to leaveits delivery end free to deposit cans centrally onto said center conveyor, said spiral having a reduced root diameter at its delivery end to facilitate delivery of cans onto said center conveyor.

' ROBERT M. MCPHERSON.

REFERENCES CITED Y The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATEN'IS 

